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Monetary Donations

Offsite Treasurer:

Please Note:Birken Forest Monastery has an Offsite Treasurer who is responsible for processing all donations and issuing tax receipts at year-ends (in August and January). If you reside in Canada and would like to request a tax receipt, you must provide your full name, residential address including postal code, and email address with each donation. Our new Treasurer does not have access to Birken’s contact database.Please also read the section on 'Tax Receipts'below. For Inquiries: treasurer@birken.ca

An Economy of Giving:

Birken is supported solely through the ancient tradition of 'dana' ('generosity' or 'giving'), in the form of monetary and material donations as well as voluntary labour. Generosity is a quality of the heart which the Buddha greatly encouraged for its benefits to the giver in this life and beyond. Unless they are clearly invited to do so, monastics may not ask for anything directly. Practically speaking, donations supply everything from food, soap and stamps, to generator fuel, building costs and insurance. They enable the monastics to continue their work of training in, and sharing, the Dhamma, and support resident stewards who offer their services freely. This facility and its resident monastics have no outside means of support. Monthly or quarterly donations are especially appreciated, as the regularity helps to stabilize our financial operations.

TAX RECEIPTS:

Financial donations to the monastery are tax deductible in Canada and eligible for a Canadian tax receipt. While charities are under no legal obligation to issue tax receipts, we are pleased to do sowith a minimum $25 donation IF we receive all the required information at the time of your donation including your full name, residential address (including postal code) and email address. Please note that this information must be included with each donation of $25 or more as our Treasurer does not have access to Birken's contact database. If we do not receive this information from you at the time of your donation, it will be assumed that you do not require a tax receipt.

If you donate electronically through PayPal or Interac email money transfer, or if you make a direct deposit to our bank account, please be sure that we have your full name, residential address (including postal code) and email address at the time of your donation - you can email this information to treasurer@birken.ca. CanadaHelps issues a tax receipt to each donor; you will not receive an additional tax receipt from Birken if you use this donation method.

Tax receipts are normally issued electronically by e-mail, but can be sent by post if this is specifically requested with the donation. You can usually expect tax receipts to be delivered twice yearly: once in August, at the end of our fiscal year (for donations made between January to July) and once in January, at the end of the calendar year (for donations made between August to December). We may issue receipts earlier or later in some cases. Please note that we cannot issue tax receipts retroactively for donations made during previous fiscal years (Birken's fiscal year runs from August 1 - July 31).

Throughout Birken Forest Monastery's fiscal year from August 1 - July 31, there are many individuals who donate anonymously or request not to receive tax receipts for their donations. The Birken community expresses its gratitude to these individuals for their generosity and rejoice in their good merit.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the issuance of tax receipts, please email treasurer@birken.ca.

If you would like to offer financial support to the monastery and resident community, you have several options:

1. Online Donations:

There are three different ways you can make donations to Birken online: If you have access to online banking with a Canadian financial institution, you may send money directly to our bank account through a secure Interac e-Transfer (email money transfer). If you prefer to use a credit card, you may transfer funds using CanadaHelps OR PayPal. These services charge administrative fees, detailed below.

INTERAC E-TRANSFER (Email money transfer)

You may send us an Interac e-Transfer (secure email money transfer) from your Canadian online bank account. Please send to our Offsite Treasurer at treasurer@birken.ca

How to send an Interac e-Transfer:

-Login to your personal online or mobile banking account (participating Canadian financial institutions only).
-Choose Interac e-Transfer within Transfer/Payment menu options
-Select a recipient by entering an email address: treasurer@birken.ca.
-Fill in the dollar amount, account from which to withdraw the funds, a security question that the recipient will have to answer and an optional personal message (this is a good place to enter your full name, residential address incl. postal code, and email address for tax receipt purposes).
-Please note that our Treasurer does not reside at Birken and may not know you personally - please keep your security question simple enough that she can guess the answer or send a clue by separate email.
-Follow the instructions to confirm and complete the transfer.

There may be a small administrative fee for sending an Interac e-Transfer - it is usually a flat rate fee of $1.50 per transfer, but this may vary depending on your financial institution.

Please also make sure to read the information on Tax Receipts listed above.

CANADA HELPS

CanadaHelps takes the fee directly from your donation and provides a tax receipt to you directly. See below for details on administrative fees.

Click on 'Donate Now' icon to the right to begin.

PAYPAL

You may choose to send us a donation through PayPal Secure online payment (with a credit card, bank account, or PayPal balance). PayPal uses an email address to identify the recipient of the funds. Please use: treasurer@birken.ca

Under "Options" select "Send a Gift" and your entire donation will come to Birken; no fees will be charged by PayPal. Should you select another option PayPal will charge the fees shown in the table below. Birken treats these fees as a part of doing business and will provide you a tax receipt for the full amount of your donation. If you would like a tax receipt for your donation of $25 or more, please email your residential address details to our Offsite Treasurer at treasurer@birken.caPlease also make sure to read the information on Tax Receipts listed above.

2. Mail a Cheque or Money Order:

You may make cheques or money orders payable to 'Birken Forest Monastery' and mail to:

Birken Forest Monastery
P.O. Box 5
Knutsford, B.C.
V0E 2A0
CANADA

Please also make sure to read the information on Tax Receipts listed above.

3. Donations at the Monastery / Offsite Events:

You can make donations by cash, cheque or money order when visiting Birken Forest Monastery or at Offsite Events led by Ajahn Sona. If requesting a tax receipt for donations of $25 or more, please write all the required information (full name, residential address, incl. postal code, and email address) on the front of your donation envelope (please print clearly) and then insert into the Donation Box located in the main foyer of the monastery (or in the designated Donation Box at an Offsite Event). Please also make sure to read the information on Tax Receipts listed above.

4. Non-Monetary Donations:

If you wish, you can offer a prepared meal, food supplies, and/or material goods. Please consult our 'Food and Material Offerings' page for more details and a current list of useful dana items.

Physical labour or skilled labour are other forms of dana. If you have particular skills you'd be able to contribute to the monastery (e.g. carpentry skills, plumbing expertise, etc.), please email us to inquire about possible opportunities to help (meditate@birken.ca). While you are here for a visit, your help with various volunteer 'yogi tasks' and the general upkeep of the monastery is also appreciated.